She Told Me A Story - a Malmö-based Female Community
She Told Me A Story- a community based in MALMÖ - Sweden - is all about giving birth to other’s dreams as well as our own.
By
Apr 3, 2026
It all began with a longing, a need to belong, a search for some truth and authenticity. It began with a room, a simple space where women could gather. No titles, no performances, and no pressure to be anything other than our imperfected versions of ourselves. ‘She Told Me A Story’ is a community in which the founders wanted to offer a safe space, a place where one could breathe and catch one’s breath in an ever noisy world. They wanted to offer a space where conversations that normally are not exposed as such. They wanted every participant to leave the room feeling hugged, embraced and given space to nurture our dreams.
She Told Me A Story, a community rooted in storytelling, connection, and the radical act of showing up as we are with our imperfections. There were snacks on the table, homemade cakes, beautiful flowers, quiet conversations in the corners, and a circle waiting to be filled. No one would fully grasp how deeply that first gathering would ripple and seep into our senses, bodies and beings. What started as a need for belonging would evolve into a living eco-system of creativity, safe spheres, and human connection diving into the unhealed versions of ourselves. Invisible red threads were woven into our subconscious as an expansion of our psyche that would ripple all the way to divinity.
In April, 2026, as the community reflects on its three year anniversary, the story is no longer about a single moment. It is about the female peers in it, the collective healing, inexplicable growth, and the shared moments of our darkest hours. The need to express ourselves even when we solemnly swore not to tell a single soul have shaped what She Told Me A Story has come to represent as of today.
A Community Born From The Need To Belong
At its core, She Told Me A Story was never designed as a conventional organisation. Rather it emerged from something far more human. A burning desire for connection, an aching longing for spaces in which we no longer need to explain ourselves, but simply breath, soul Breather. Founded by Victoria Sandberg, Ashley Shilling, Poliana Dias, with the warmest welcome by Laura Patelsmith, the community began as a grassroots initiative in Malmö, Sweden.
In hindsight, it came to attract female peers who would help each other to bring forth new ideas, untraditional concepts and visions no one ever saw coming. We would navigate through unfamiliar territory not knowing where we would end up. We would share our experiences and unveil our most hidden secrets by exposing our fears to one another. It would all be in a setting intentionally designed to feel safe, warm, hugged in a warm embrace and not to mention inclusive of anyone who'd reach out.
The format was simple all along. Gathering. Sitting in a circle. Speak when ready or when unprepared. Voice things never articulated previously shared. There were no strict agendas or polished presentations. Pitching and trying to sell was off the table. Participants were invited to share anything. A personal story. A poem. A thought they had been holding onto. The absence of structure became the structure itself; the community grew organically through word of mouth.
It created a space where authenticity was not encouraged, but inevitable as a synchronicity never previously explored. Over time, what unfolded within these gatherings was more than storytelling. It was a transformation. Female peers who once felt like outsiders began to find resonance in attracting like-minded women. Conversations deepened. Trust formed. And slowly, a community took shape. The phrasing of Victoria Sandberg, “We come as a village”, manifested itself without any strive for perfection.
Viveka Jae Ok Hansson on her way to celebrate the second year anniversary in 2025.
The Anniversary As A Moment Of Reflection
Anniversaries are often seen as milestones. Markers of time passed. But within She Told Me A Story, the anniversary serves a deeper purpose. From its early gatherings to its growing presence today, the community has hosted dozens of meetups, each one centered on genuine human connection rather than curated networking. These events continue to offer a space where stories can be shared without any expectation, without judgement and reinforcing the idea that everyone’s voice carries value. Participants describe these gatherings not as events, but as experiences. A place where conversations extend beyond surface level interactions. Where vulnerability is met with understanding and a want, intent and wish for us to grow, evolve and help each other grow into our future selves. The anniversary invites the community to pause and acknowledge this journey. To recognize how far it has come, and more importantly, how it has shaped the women within it. It is not about counting events or measuring external success in numbers. It is about the quiet, often unseen changes. The confidence gained. The relationships formed. The creative voices that have found space to emerge into new spheres, new ways to go about life, replacement of old versions, destruction of old limitations.
Oneness As The Foundation
If there is a single concept that defines She Told Me A Story, it is ONENESS. Not as a slogan, but as a lived experience. ONENESS within this community does not mean sameness. It means connection across differences. It is the understanding that each individual story contributes to a larger collective narrative. This philosophy becomes tangible in every gathering. A stranger shares a story, and another sees themselves reflected in it. A moment of vulnerability creates a bridge between two lives that may never have otherwise intersected. This is how ONENESS operates. Quietly. Powerfully. It dissolves the boundaries that often separate us as ‘we and them’. It replaces comparison with deep connection to transform any ounce of intense life experience. It transforms storytelling from a solitary act into a shared experience. And in doing so, it re-defines what a community can look like by witnessing in every transformation - butterfly effect - the Educationist.
Letters That Build Relationships
Within this evolving narrative, letters and art work have become a powerful form of expression all through the artist of the community; ODD JADE - Viveka Jae Ok Hansson -. She has become the SOUL of the community. Her heart work is not created for performance or publication. They are channeled as acts of recognition. Of gratitude. Of truth. It speaks of admiration, but also of accountability to help each other bring forth our dreams, ideas and visions. And do so in softness paired with strength. This is not simply praise. It is an acknowledgment of influence. Within the community, women do not exist in isolation. We shape one another. We challenge each other to outgrow ourselves. We hold each other to higher standards, not out of expectation, but out of relentless belief in what we are doing has a meaning, impact on our society overall.
“Your relentless belief in me as an individual as well as a creative being is felt in every breath.”
This kind of belief becomes a catalyst. It pushes individuals to expand our psyche and extend an invitation to anyone who happens to cross our path. The strengthening of trust. The unfolding of creative identity.
A Creative Ecosystem
Beyond gatherings, letters, and captures, She Told Me A Story has evolved into a broader creative eco-system for female innovation in a vibrant and faceted city as Malmö, Sweden. It extends into other female startups such as the House and Pirates of Impact both located in Malmö where ideas can be explored in greater depth. It branches into individual projects, each contributing to the larger narrative all culminating in a very clear vision; to make Malmö Europe's Innovation HUB by 2030.
Together, these dynamics illustrate the diversity within the community. A commitment to exploration, growth, and meaningful expression. If you have been searching for a space where you can show up without pretense this community may be something for you. Attend a gathering and experience what it means to be part of a story that continues to grow with every voice added to the journey to become who we were meant to be all along. To experience more of this work and follow invisible red threads, join She Told Me A Story.
She told me a story | LinkedIn
